Carton packer



Aug. 13, 1968 E. MCCRUDDEN CARTON PACKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 30, 1965 INVENTOR. EDWARD MCCRUDDEN Agent A g- 1968 E. MCCRUDDEN CARTON PACKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 30, 1965 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. EDWARD MCCRUDDEN Agent A g- 1968 E. MCCRUDDEN CARTON PACKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 30, 1965 FIG. 4

FIG. 5

INVENTOR. EDWARD MCCRUDDEN a, a )Ms Agent 13, 1968 E. MCCRUDDEN 3,396,505

CARTON PACKER Filed Aug. 30, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. EDWARD McCRUDDEN Agent Aug. 13, 1968 MCCRUDDEN CARTON PACKER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 30. 1965 FIG. 8

1 N VEN TOR.

EDWARD MCCRUDDEN Agent United States Patent 3,396,505 CARTON PACKER Edward McCrudden, Hannon, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Edson Machinery Limited, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, a company of Canada Filed Aug. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 483,630

Claims priority, application Canada, Dec. 11, 1964,

13 Claims. (Cl. 53-61) This invention relates to a carton packing apparatus and is particularly directed to an apparatus for assembling a predetermined number of package units and other like items of merchandise and inserting them into shipping cartons.

Heretofore, the common practice in packing shipping containers such as cartons with smaller packages, has been to load the cartons by hand, a process both tedious and slow, which reduced the efiiciency of the entire packaging operation to the speed of the carton packers. Automatic carton packers have been devised, but these devices have proved to be expensive, complicated and troublesome and have not met with commercial success.

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a carton packer that will quickly and etficiently load shipping containers, with a minimum of trouble and maintenance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a carton packer which is simple and positive acting in operation and is readily adaptable to handle packages and other items of various sizes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a carton packing apparatus that will automatically make a complete cycle, and then stop to be operator-activated before beginning another cycle.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, partly cut away of the instant apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view partly in elevation, of the apparatus along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus along line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are side elevations of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, with the box removed, in the second and third stages of its operative cycle;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic illustration of the air circuit of the present invention showing a second embodiment of the air circuit by phantom lines;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation, in part, of the present apparatus embodying a totalizing actuator;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the totalizing actuator illustrated in FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is "a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIGURES 1 through 4 of the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a supporting structure, designated generally at 10, a packing device designated generally at 11, and a packing case holder, generally designated at 12. Adjustably attached to the supporting structure 10 are package rails 13, extending transverse to the width of the said supporting structure and projecting therefrom. Guides 14 are attached to and form part of package rails 13, such that the said guides can be adjusted towards and away from each other to accommodate packages of various sizes.

Spring loaded catch plates 15 are pivotally mounted ice on adjustable guides 14 remote from said package rails, such that said plates 15 will be deflected by packages carried by lifter plate 16 which is located between rails 13 and is carried by piston rod 17 of a double-acting air cylinder 18, reciprocal in a straight line parallel to the adjustable guides 14 in response to the movement of piston rod 17. Arranged to close the passage between adjustable guides 14 upon reciprocal movement of lifter plate 16 is a skirt member 19, forming part of lifter plate 16, and serving to alternately permit and prevent the entrance of unit packages onto rails 13, as the lifter plate 16 reciprocates. Reciprocal movement of litter plate 16 thus is effected by operation of air cylinder 18.

Trigger 20 is mounted at the terminus package travel across rails 13. Rod 21 pivotally mounted at 22, operatively connects trigger 20 to air valve 23, which, in turn, actuates cylinder 18, to effect primary reciprocal movement of litter plate 16. Secondary reciprocal movement is actuated by means of a second air valve 24, arranged to engage cam 25 of follower rod 25a at 26 when cylinder 18 reaches the terminus of its primary movement, for reversing the air flow, and returning the said cylinder to its place of rest. It will be understood the air valves 23, 24 and the like having triggers function as pneumatic limit switches.

Rigid support members 27 and 28 mounted vertical, normal to the horizontal members 29 of support structure 10, carry sheets of suitable material forming thereby an open-ended collector box 30. Floor 31 of collector box has an opening formed therein at 32 to permit entry into the collector box of the units to be packed, by means of litter plate 16. Flanges 33 are formed at one end of the collector box 30, over which are placed the flaps of the carton to be packed, and which act as a support for the open end of the carton and also was a guide for the intrusion of the assembled unit packages into the said carton.

A pusher plate 34 is mounted at the end of the openended collector box remote from said flange 33, for horizontal reciprocal movement in a straight line through the collector box, substantially normal to the vertical reciprocal movement of lifter plate 16. Pusher plate 34 is carried by piston rod 35 of a double-acting air cylinder 36 for primary reciprocal movement in response to actuation of air valve 37, and for secondary reciprocal movement upon actuation of air valve 38 at 39 by contact with cam 40 of follower rod 40a. Trigger 41 is mounted inside collector box 30 at the terminus of the vertical package travel within collector box 30. Rigid support 42 connects trigger 41 to rod 43, which is pivotally mounted at 44, and which serves to operate air valve 37 upon actuation of trigger 41, by movement of a unit load of packages moving upwardly towards trigger 41 in response to movement of litter plate 16.

Support arm 45 is pivotally mounted at 46 on the end of support member 29 remote from pusher plate 34. Secured to support arm 45, and normal to it, is a plate 47 which, when the support arm 45 is in its downward position, supports the filled packing carton ready for removal. Support arm 45 is pivotally mounted at 46 to swing through responsive to actuation of cylinder 48, which is pivotally mounted at one end at 49 to an appropriate supporting bracket 50, and is operatively connected to support arm 45 at the opposite end, by means of piston rod 51, slidably mounted for reciprocal movement within cylinder 48, said rod 51 being pivotally mounted on support arm 45 at 52.

In use, package units are fed into the machine by a power driven belt conveyor, not shown, between adjustable guides 14 onto rails 13 across the path of reciprocation of lifter plate 16, and when a predetermined number of boxes has thus entered the machine forming a unit layer 55, the leading package presses trigger 20, thereby energizing primary air valve 23, to actuate cylinder 18 to project its piston 17 and the lifter plate 16 carried thereon, in a direction normal to the flow of package units past catch plates forcing said plates out of the path of travel of the layer of unit packages until the said layer has advanced beyond the said catch plates, at which point secondary air valve 24 is energized by contact with adjust able cam 25 at contact 26, reversing the air flow of cylinder 18, returning the said piston 17 and lifter plate 16 to its place of rest, leaving the unit packages resting on the catch plates 15. During this reciprocal movement of litter plate 16, further unit packages are prevented from being admitted to the machine by operation of skirt member 19 which temporarily arrests the flow of package units from the conveyor, not shown. This operation is repeated until a full case of packages has been collected inside collector box 30, which box prevents the assembled package units from falling, and which also prepares a compact unit.

When a predetermined number of unit layers 55 has been thus collected, the topmost layer of boxes will press trigger 41, which, through movement of rod 43 about its pivotal mounting at 44 energizes primary air valve 37 to actuate cylinder 36 to project pusher plate 34 in a horizontal straight line longitudinally of support member 29 in response to movement of piston rod 35. The forward movement of pusher plate 34 serves to advance the accumulated packages through collector box opening 56, and into the carton 57 placed on support arm 45.

At the same time, trigger 41, in addition to energizing cylinder 36, re-introduces air into cylinder 18 of litter plate 16, maintaining piston rod 17 in its fully extended position, while cylinder 36 is in operation. At the end of the primary stroke of cylinder 36, secondary air valve 38 is energized by contact of adjustable cam 40 with contact 39, reversing the air flow in cylinder 36, returning pusher plate 34 to its place of rest. At the same time, air valve 38 actuates cylinder 48, which retracts piston rod 51 into cylinder 48, thereby pivoting supporting arm through 90, such that the filled carton now rests on its bottom, on plate 47, and air valve 38 also directs air into cylinder 18, maintaining it in its fully extended position.

The mechanism will then remain in this position until the operator removes the full carton, replaces it with an empty one and re-activates the machine by means of air switch 53, which reverses the air flow in cylinder 48, raising the support arm 45 to a horizontal position and which also releases all the air locks in cylinder 18, allowing lifter plate 16 to return to its place of rest permitting initiation of the packing cycle.

A preferred embodiment of air circuit of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to FIGURE 6 taken in conjunction with the structure of FIGURES 1-5 described hereinabove. The leading package of unit layer 55 engages trigger 20 to actuate air valve 23, a three-port spring-return valve, which emits a pressure impulse by permitting a fluid such as air under pressure to flow through line and one way T 61 to pilot valve 62, a five-port, four-way valve. All air valve's employed in the present circuit preferably are of a threeport spring-return type and all pilot and slave valves in the present circuit preferably are of the five-port, fourway type. Valve 62 transmits a control pressure signal to slave valve 63 through line 64 and valve 63 in turn feeds a continuous flow of fluid to cylinder 18 by line 65 to elevate lifter plate 16 secured to piston rod 17. Cam 25 carried by follower rod 25a supported by plate 16 engages trigger 26 at the end of upward travel of plate 16 thereby actuating valve 24 Which emits a pressure impulse by line 67 to pilot valve 62 reversing the air flow to cylinder 18 via lines 68 and 69 and slave valve 63 thereby returning lifter plate 16 to its normally at-rest package receiving position. This cycle is repeated until the desired complement of packages are stacked within collector box 30 at which time the topmost layer of boxes engages trigger 41 to actuate valve 37 which emits a pressure impulse to pilot valve 70 via line 71 which in turn directs a control pressure signal through lines 72, 73 and 73a to one-way T 74 and slave valve 75 respectively. T 74 is in communication with pilot valve 62 which is actuated to lock plate 16 in its elevated position While cylinder 36 is pressurized by slave valve 75 via line 76 to extend piston rod 35 and pusher plate 34. At the termination of the forward extension of rod 35, cam 40 on follower rod 40a engages trigger 39 to actuate valve 38 and transmit a pressure impulse via lines 79 and 79a to pilot valve 70, line 80 and slave valve 75 to pressurize cylinder 36 via line 81 and return pusher plate 34 to its at-rest retracted position. The actuation of valve 38 at the completion of travel of plate 34 also transmits a pressure signal via lines 79 and 79b to pilot valve 84 which emits a control pressure signal via lines 85 and 85a to slave valve 86 and via line 85b to T 74 in communication with pilot valve 62. Pilot valve 62 thus transmits a control signal via line 64 to slave valve 63 to maintain rod 17 and plate 16 locked in their extended positions while slave valve 86 transmits fluid to cylinder 48 via line 87 thereby pivoting supporting arm 45 and plate 47 to their unloading positions. The subsequent actuation of air valve 53 by the operator results in the emission of a pressure signal to pilot valve 84 via line 88 and thence to slave valve 86 via line 89 for delivery of fluid to cylinder 48 via line 90 for extension of rod 51. The concurrent depressurization of lines 85 and 85b results in cylinder 18 retracting rod 17 to its at-rest position, with commencement of the loading cycle.

It may be preferred not to lock lifting plate 16 in its elevated position while arm 45 is lowered to the carton unloading position in order to immediately commence loading of collector box 30 upon the return of pusher plate 34 to its at-rest retracted position. The circuit of FIG- URE 6 can be readily adapted for this purpose by directing air line 85a to air valve 93, a three-way springreturn valve, shown by phantom lines, which is adapted to transmit a pressure signal to pilot valve 70 via line 94, one-way T and line 96. The air line designated by numeral 85b in communication with T 74 would be deleted from this latter circuit such that cylinder 18 will operate independent of the operation of cylinder 48. It will be evident that this latter embodiment of the air circuit will permit loading of collector box 30 while plate 47 is in its lowered position, cylinder 36 being locked in its at-rest retracted position until arm 45 is permitted to return to its loading position by actuation of air valve 53 by the machine operator.

In certain installations it will be desirable to actuate cylinder 48 having piston rod 51 every second or fourth actuation of piston rod 35 when loading two or four tiers of packages into a carton. FIGURE 7 illustrates a totalizing actuator mounted below follower rod 40a for actuation by detent 102 carried by said'rod. Detent 102 is pivotallly mounted on rod 40a to positively engage and advance cam wheel 104 of unit 100 upon forward movement of rod 40a and to slip over and not engage cam wheel 104 upon rearward movement of said rod, for reasons which will become evident as the description proceeds.

Turning now to FIGURES 8 and 9, unit 100 comprises a stand 106 having a flanged 'base 108 for securement to a support, not shown. Stand 106 has in its upper end an oilite bushing 110 press-filled therein within which is journalled a stub shaft 112 secured by nuts 114 for rotational movement. Rigidly mounted by a press fit onto shaft 112 are cam wheel 116, spacer 118 and cam holder 120, the cam holder comprising a pair of opposed discs 122 and 124 positioned apart by spacer 126. At least one cam 'lobe 128 is seated on spacer 126 between discs 122 and 124 and is rigidly secured to the cam holder 120 by set screw 130. A primary valve 132 having trigger 133, as shown by ghost lines, is positioned in proximity to the periphery of cam holder 120 for actuation thereby.

In use, assuming four tiers of packages are desired for the loading of a carton, each extension and retraction of follower rod 40a advances cam wheel 116 through 90 by positive engagement of detent 162 during forward movement of piston rod 35. Four advances of cam wheel 116 revolve cam lobe 128 into engagement with trigger 133 of valve 132 transmitting a pressure impulse to pilot valve 84 for actuation of piston 51 in cylinder 48 and lowering of supporting arm 45. Air valve 38, meanwhile, is independently actuated by cam 40 at each forward extension of rod 40a to reverse the air flow in cylinder 36 thus returning pusher plate 34 to its at-rest position to repeat its cycle. The circuitry incorporating the totalizing actuator 100 differs from the circuit described hereinabove with reference to FIGURE 6 in that valve 38 transmits a pressure impulse to pilot valve 70 and valve 132 transmits a pressure impulse to pilot valve 86, the operation of valves 38 and 132 being independent of each other.

Cam wheel 116 can have cam lobes 128 spaced as desired about the periphery thereof to actuate pilot valve 86 at any desired frequency of extensions of pusher plate 34.

The present invention provides a number of important advantages. The loading of cartons with packages and items of merchandise has been substantially automated permitting quick, efiicient and reliable loading of cartons. The structure of the present invention is positive-acting and can be readily adapted to continuously receive and package items of various sizes and shapes.

It will be understood, of course, that changes can be made in the preferred embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and purview of the appended claims.

What we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a carton packer apparatus having primary and secondary package supporting means, elevator means for successively vertically raising unit layers of packages from said primary package supporting means to vertically collect on said secondary i ackage support means, pusher means for laterally transferring said collected unit layers of packages from said secondary package supporting means to a carton, and lowering means for pivoting said carton to an unloading position, a pneumatic circuit having first and second limit valves, said first limit valve actuable by a collection of a unit layer of packages on said primary package supporting means and said second limit valve actuable by a complement of unit layers of packages on said secondary package supporting means; first, second and third pneumatic actuated control means; said first control means in communication with said first limit valve and said elevator means for extending said elevator means upon actuation of said first limit valve; a limit valve carried by said elevator means in communication with said first control means for retracting said elevator upon completion of the elevator extension: said second control means in communication with said first control means and said second limit valve and said pusher means for arresting said elevator means in its extended position during extension of said pusher means and extending said pusher means upon actuation of said second limit valve; and a limit valve carried by said pusher means in communication with said second and third control means for simultaneously retracting said pusher means and extending said lowering means upon completion of the pusher means extension.

2. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said third control means being in communication with said first control means for arresting said elevator means in its extended position during extension of the lowering means.

3. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said elevator,

pusher and lowering means each being fluid actuated piston-cylinder assemblies in communication with said control means and switches.

4. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said control means each being pilot and slave valves in series.

5. A carton packer apparatus comprising, in combination, primary package supporting means for receiving packages successively to form a unit layer, secondary package supporting means disposed vertically of said primary supporting means, lifting means operatively connected to said primary supporting means for laterally raising said primary supporting means and transferring said unit layer of packages onto said secondary supporting means, said lifting means being controlled by first valve means actuable by completion of said unit layer for activating said lifting means, and second valve means actuable by said lifting means for returning said lifting means to its normally at-rest position for successively collecting a complement of unit layers of packages, pusher means reciprocal horizontally for laterally transferring said full complement of unit layers of packages from the secondary supporting means to a carton, means for lowering the loaded carton, said pusher means being controlled by third valve means actuable by a complement of unit layers of packages for activating said pusher means, a first valve actuable by said pusher means for returning said pusher means to its at-rest position, and a second valve actuable by said pusher means for actuating said lowering means upon several extensions of said pusher means, said lifting means having detent means for preventing the entry of package units to the carton packer while said lowering means is in its actuated position.

6. In a carton packer apparatus having primary and secondary package supporting means, elevator means for successively raising unit layers of packages from said primary package supporting means to said secondary package support means, pusher means for laterally transferring said unit layers of packages from said secondary package supporting means to a carton, and lowering means for pivoting said carton to an unloading position, a pneumatic circuit having first and second limit valves, said first limit valve actuable by a collection of a unit layer of packages on said primary package supporting means and said second limit valve actuable by a complement of unit layers of packages on said secondary package supporting means; first, second and third pneumatic actuated control means; said first control means in communication with said first limit valve and said elevator means for extending said elevator means upon actuation of said first limit valve; a limit valve carried by said elevator means in communication with said first control means for retracting said elevator upon completion of the elevator extension; said second control means in communication with said first control means and said second limit valve and said pusher means for arresting said elevator means in its extended position during extension of said pusher means and extending said pusher means upon actuation of said second limit valve; a limit valve carried by said pusher means in communication with said second control means for retracting said pusher means and a limit valve carried by said pusher means in communication with said third control means for extending said lowering means upon completion of several extensions of said pusher means.

7. In a carton packer apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said limit valve for actuating said lowering means comprising a stand rigidly mounted in proximity to said pusher means, a stub shaft mounted in said stand, -a cam wheel and cam holder mounted on said stub shaft for rotation and actuation by said pusher means, and a valve mounted in proximity to said cam holder for actuation upon predetermined angular displacement of said cam holder.

8. In a carton packer apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said limit valve for actuating said lowering means comprising a stand rigidly mounted in proximity to said pusher means, a stub shaft journalled in said stand for rotational movement, a cam wheel and cam holder rigidly mounted on said stub shaft for rotation therewith upon actuation by said pusher means, at least one cam lobe secured to said cam holder, and a valve mounted in proximity to said cam holder for actuation by said cam lobe upon angular displacement of said cam holder.

9. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said third control means being in communication with said first control means for arresting said elevator means in its extended position during extension of the lowering means.

10. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said elevator, pusher and lowering means each being fluid actuated piston-cylinder assemblies in communication with said control means and switches.

11. In an apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said control means each being pilot and slave valves in series.

12. In a carton packer apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said limit valve for actuating said lowering means comprising a stand rigidly mounted in proximity to said pusher means, a stub shaft mounted in said stand, a cam wheel and cam holder mounted on said stub shaft for rotation and actuation by said pusher means, and a valve mounted in proximity to said cam holder for actuation upon predetermined angular displacement of said cam holder.

13. In a carton packer apparatus as claimed in claim 6, said limit valve for actuating said lowering means comprising a stand rigidly mounted in proximity to said pusher means, a stub shaft journalled in said stand for rotational movement, a cam wheel and cam holder rigidly mounted on said stub shaft for rotation therewith upon actuation by said pusher means, at least one cam lobe secured to said cam holder, and a valve mounted in proximity to said cam holder for actuation by said cam lobe upon angular displacement of said cam holder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,924,051 2/1960 More 53-62 X 2,947,125 8/1960 Wilson et a1. 5361 2,956,381 10/1960 Chauvin et a1 53164 X 2,993,316 7/1961 Kerr 53-164 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 

5. A CARTON PACKER APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, PRIMARY PACKAGE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR RECEIVING PACKAGES SUCCESSIVELY TO FORM A UNIT LAYER, SECONDARY PACKAGE SUPPORTING MEANS DISPOSED VERTICALLY OF SAID PRIMARY SUPPORTING MEANS, LIFTING MEANS OPRATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PRIMARY SUPPORTING MEANS FOR LATERALLY RAISING SAID PRIMARY SUPPORTING MEANS AND TRANSFERRING SAID UNIT LAYER OF PACKAGES ONTO SAID SECONDARY SUPPORTING MEANS, SAID LIFTING MEANS BEING CONTROLLED BY FIRST VALVE MEANS ACTUABLE BY COMPLETION OF SAID UNIT LAYER FOR ACTIVATING SAID LIFTING MEANS, AND SECOND VALVE MEANS ACTUABLE BY SAID LIFTING MEANS FOR RETURNING SAID LIFTING MEANS TO ITS NORMALLY AT-REST POSITION FOR SUCCESSIVELY COLLECTING A COMPLEMENT OF UNIT LAYERS OF PACKAGES, PUSHER MEANS RECIPROCAL HORIZONTALLY FOR LATERALLY TRANSFERRING SAID FULL COMPLEMENT OF UNIT LAYERS OF PACKAGES FORM THE SECONDARY SUPPORTING MEANS TO A CARTON, MEANS FOR LOWERING THE LOADED CARTON, SAID PUSHER MEANS BEING CONTROLLED BY THIRD VALVE MEANS ACTUABLE BY A COMPLEMENT OF UNIT LAYERS OF PACKAGES FOR ACTIVATING SAID PUSHER MEANS, A FIRST VALVE ACTUABLE BY SAID PUSHER MEANS FOR RETURNING SAID PUSHER MEANS TO ITS AT-REST POSITON, AND A SECOND VALVE ACTUABLE BY SAID PUSHER MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID LOWERING MEANS UPON SEVERAL EXTENSIONS OF SAID PUSHER MEANS, SAID LIFTING MEANS HAVING DETENT MEANS FOR PREVENTING THE ENTRY OF PACKAGE UNITS TO THE CARTON PACKER WHILE SAID LOWERING MEANS IS IN ITS ACTUATED POSITION. 